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The Women Take Flight event at the New England Air Museum was held March 9, 2019, to commemorate Women’s History Month and in conjunction with Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. Visitors of all ages celebrated women’s contributions to aerospace history through a variety of hands-on activities, special events, and guest lecturers.
In addition to the lectures, Women Take Flight offered visitors the opportunity to meet women pilots, engineers, and industry professionals who were set up at tables throughout the museum. Airplane Geeks was there to capture interviews.
Interviews
Leah is a senior at a girl’s high school participating in the year-long Sikorsky STEM challenge with a project to modernize cockpit control mechanisms. [Starts at 1:36]
Mary Ann Cannon is Vice President of Commercial Engine Programs at Pratt and Whitney. She has had a 30-year career at Pratt, and was one of the guest speakers. [Starts at 7:39]
The Ninety-Nines were at the event in force and we spoke with Glenna Blackwell and Lori Plourd. Glenna is from the Connecticut Chapter of the Ninety-Nines. [Starts at 14:51]
Former Air Force pilot Kristi Fleischmann is from Acrojet, which provides in-aircraft training for professional and high-performance aircraft pilots. The company is now actively trying to address the pilot shortage by creating and presenting STEM in aviation programs for students at the middle and high school level. [Starts at 29:09]
Debbie Reed is the newly appointed executive director of the New England Air Museum. We talk about the museum, the employees and volunteers, restoration activities, and the programs and events this year. [Starts at 42:32]
University of Connecticut senior Alexis Coppola and Assistant Professor Dianyun Zhang from the Department of Mechanical Engineering talked with us about composites in aviation. [Starts at 56:20]
Shaesta Waiz flew around the world solo in a Beechcraft Bonanza. She has an interesting history and a strong drive to shape the future for girls and young women in aviation and STEM. She’s the founder and president of Dreams Soar, Inc. [Starts at 1:05:02]
The Museum
The New England Air Museum museum is located adjacent to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut midway between Hartford, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts.
Credit
Outtro by Bruno Misonne.
Event Photos
The UConn table.
Fun with balloons.
Glenna and Lori, Ninety-Nines.
Kristi Fleischmann and her husband, both pilots!
Explaining the C-5.
Pilot Shaesta Waiz.
New England Air Museum Executive Director Debbie Reed.